This invention relates to electrically operated infrared (IR) light source drying apparatus and a drying method, in particular such an apparatus which may be (though not specifically) powered by electric batteries.
The typical existing electrically powered drying apparatus with a source of airflow usually includes a heating element in the body of the drying apparatus which heats up air passing through the interior of the apparatus. The thus heated air is then outputted by the apparatus for drying a target, e.g. a hand of a user. However, as it is necessary to heat up the air in the relatively short time interval during which the air passes through the body of the apparatus, significant power has to be provided to the heating element, and thus to the drying apparatus, to raise the temperature of the air to such an extent that the air, when leaving the apparatus, is of a sufficiently high temperature for drying the target. This means that such drying apparatus can only be powered by municipal AC current, which limits the flexibility of use of such drying apparatus and hinders their portability.